After more than three decades, the Toronto Blue Jays are back in the World Series. And what a thrill it has been to watch them head-to-head with the Mariners, to get back to this stage. Now they will be facing the team known as the ones who are “bad for baseball”—the $340 million Los Angeles Dodgers. Toronto is not just fighting for its first title since 1993, but it’s fighting for pride, for debunking that only a huge payroll gets a championship win, and maybe also hoping for redemption.

Because make no mistake, there is some bad blood between LA and Toronto for sure. The Dodgers didn’t just dominate the National League; turns out, they might have stolen two of the most coveted players that Toronto had its eyes on—Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki. These Japanese players’ future in Toronto became one of the “almosts” and “what-ifs.” And now, Jays finally get their chance to make the biggest statement, sans those players, and actually standing against them.

Losing a Babe Ruth-level talent like Ohtani will sting

It all really started with Shohei Ohtani. The Blue Jays apparently matched the Dodgers’ $700 million offer—the same terms. So obviously, Toronto thought they might have had a real shot in this. But it all ended up being chaotic. Reports even mentioned how Ohtani was on a plane to Toronto and how the deal was nearly done. But he was not on the plane; he was at home in Southern California, probably smiling as he was prepped to sign with the LA Dodgers instead!

That sting was deep, and Toronto had thrown everything at him, from money to commitment to vision. Even then, Ohtani picked the Dodgers, and the Jays were left with nothing but memes! And just to twist the knife, Ohtani didn’t just live up to the hype; he has even surpassed it. At first, he was just compared to Babe Ruth; now, he is actually standing tall to the claim. Hector Gomez just updated that Babe Ruth had 159 home runs in his first 674 career games. Meanwhile, Ohtani had 160 home runs in the same number of games! They are literal stat Twins too, and the only difference is that Ohtani is doing so when the competition is way higher, and losing this talent might have hurt Toronto.

And as if that was not enough, then came the case of Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old pitching prodigy, for whom Toronto went all in, too, trading for extra international bonus pool money to make an $8.26 million offer possible. In fact, Blue Jays staffers like Frank Herrmann and Sam Greene also help Sasaki figure out the reason for his performance dip and give him insight into his mechanics. Essentially, Jays handed him the blueprint to improve right before he took his talent to LA! So yes, “betrayal” or “rejection” is not a strong word. It is one thing to lose out on a player; it’s another to arm him with info that makes him better for the rival. The Dodgers got their ace, but the Jays got yet another case of what could have been.

Will Toronto perish or take the payback?

Now the baseball gods have served the twist that many didn’t see coming—Toronto’s appearance in the WS in over 30 years and against the very franchise that outshined them in every way in the free agency. If you had to name the marvels of the sport, then the Dodgers would sit right with it, given they are a super team. They have Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and more.

But here is the thing: it’s not fair to say Toronto is behind. They are scrappy, but they are balanced, and they are battle-tested. After rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS to beat the Mariners, the Jays showed they are not just talented; they have perseverance, too. Plus, Vladimir Guerrero is locked in, George Springer looks great too, and the lineup is producing. They out-hit the Yanks, they outlasted the Mariners, and now they are eyeing the last leg—the Dodgers. So, where do the Jays really stand practically?

Where the Toronto Blue Jays stand against the Dodgers

On paper, the Dodgers have the advantages. They have got the depth, the payroll, and the postseason pedigree, not to mention a week of rest heading into the first game. But the truth is that baseball is not a game played on spreadsheets. And here is something that history teaches us: when one league championship goes seven games and the other ends in a sweep, the team that swept usually loses the WS. It has happened four times since 1985, and every single time the “well-rested” team got cold and rusty. Hence, the Dodgers sure had time to rest, but Toronto is walking and living on adrenaline, and that might work in their favor.

Plus, the Toronto Blue Jays‘ numbers are absurd—and they have quietly built one of the most dangerous offenses in October. Of course, Vladdy is a class apart, but Ernie Clement has been a gem, hitting 18-for-42 with only two strikeouts. Meanwhile, Addison Barger’s power continues to shine with two postseason homers. Even No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez came up huge with six RBIs across Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS. They are batting nearly .300 as a team, scoring 71 runs in 11 postseason games while striking out fewer times than they’ve scored.

Their bullpen, although it has been shaky in spots, has found heroes in unexpected places—cue in Jeff Hoffman, whose ALCS Game 7 performance was stuff that screams October legend. And while LA boasts of a rotation that’s full of Cy Young caliber arms, Toronto and their patient approach might be their biggest weapon.

Plus, the home-field advantage also stands with the Jays. If you have heard Rogers Centre during the playoffs, the roar that comes when Springer or Guerrero goes deep—you know that the energy can shake the Los Angeles Dodgers. There was nearly a mini earthquake after Springer’s heroics on Monday, says how loud the crowd gets. So sure, the Dodgers are chasing history, but the Blue Jays are chasing the rings and maybe a redemption. It’s about finally getting the last laugh after years of near misses and heartbreak.